Just Cause 2: Just Cuz It's Fun

Available: PS3/Xbox 360
Game Type: 1 Player Action
From: Square Enix/Eidos Interactive

I find Just Cause a very apt name for the game in question, and it harkens back to when I was a bit younger. I remember reading previews and reviews for the original Just Cause on Xbox and seeing it available at my local retailer. I’ve been a Sony man since I first delved into Final Fantasy VII on Playstation, so I didn’t get a taste of the original game when it came out. Having only known what was in the magazines and their screenshots along with looking at the back of the case during my many perusals of numerous game sections, I always wondered to myself what the context of the title was. Was it just cause, as in the cause the hero fights for is justifiable? Or was it just cause (i.e. because), the slang-contraction of because, and whatever the protagonist did was purely for the thrills? As it turns out, both are true.

To be clear, I later got my hands on the Xbox original, and though it had some great concepts it wasn’t much fun. It had a lot of potential, but I could never get down the controls whether it was lack of skill on my part, poor choice in mapping, or otherwise. While I’m sure there are mega-nerds out there along with gamers with no ambition who don’t have to work for a living that would surely beat the pants off me in some titles, I think I have a pretty good grasp on what it takes to game. The point is, my take on the first game is that it threw the heat but had no control, and that’s not what takes a major leaguer.

Just Cause 2 expands on the gameplay, graphics, and playability, while keeping to the undercover spy trying to overthrow a corrupt and dangerous government from within premise. Players take the role of Rico Rodriguez, a member of the super secret spy group the Agency. Rico’s partner from the first Just Cause has been sent into the island nation of Panau, a Southeast Asian island, to stop the ruthless dictator Baby Panay. All the dictator basics are there: downtrodden citizens, military presence, and checkpoints on many of the numerous roads. Rico’s partner has gone dark, and having trained Rico everything he knows, who better to send?

This is all I’ll give you for story details, because not only is this summarized in the initial cut scene and corresponding helicopter ride towards Panau, but that’s essentially the entire experience. The charm of this game lies within the Agency’s Operative’s methods by which he goes down this revolution road.

Known for his “eccentric methods” as the game puts it, Rico is a master of the grappling hook/parachute combination. While it will take a bit of time to get used to, or at least it did for me, once you get the hang of it it’s a real blast. Swinging through jungles and urban jungles alike, essentially scaling sky scrapers with the ease of any superhero is quite a fun experience, and the ability to use the grappling hook for both travel and combat is a great idea. See two guards in sniper towers lining up the crosshairs on you? Snap a hook to one then plunge it into the other and watch them crash into each other in mid air. Only one soldier in the back of an ATV blasting you with a Gatling gun? Use the same method only attach the second end to a rock and watch him go crashing into it. Or just aim and pull—the force will knock out most of them hapless punks.

The idea of Chaos as a sort of benchmark for player development and game progression lives on to great merit. Scattered throughout the 40 square mile island of Panau is over 250 settlements ranging from small three-shack fishing villages to New York City-esque cities are objects with the Panauan Governments red circle and white star, signifying a target you want to destroy. Along with a plethora of destructible targets, each town has collectibles in the form of weapon parts, vehicle parts, or armor parts, all of which Rico uses to upgrade his armaments and such. As you collect and destroy, progress counters in the form of a percentage appear on the HUD to let you know how close you are to liberating the area. Not only does this free up valuable real estate for the many factions across Panau, it also builds your Chaos Meter which unlocks everything from missions to new purchasable upgrades.

To be honest I thought this idea was going to play out like a college dorm room session of Grand Theft Auto (you know—where you fight until you die and pass the paddle?), but it quickly became a test of my own wits. What started as a head on rush into a fortress where the bullets flew from my dual submachine guns with such pace that the baddies were overwhelmed, quickly evolved into a game of strategy. Do I drop a Rhino into the mix and blast the towers and gunners first? Do you run in guns blazing, drop some C4 then airjack the helicopter that arrives? These are just two of the ridiculously numerous amount of options at your disposal in Just Cause 2.

This is not to say the game is without its faults. I ran into several clipping issues that once or twice left me stuck in the top of a church or temple with no exit but a restart of the game. I also found little use for the vehicle upgrades themselves, mind you upgrading to get a certain vehicle was well worth it, but using parts for armor enhancements seemed to do little to supplement what was already there. I also felt like the amount of weapons didn’t run parallel with the immense size of the game map. I got lost in the destructive fun of Panau, and capped out the available weapon list quickly and very early, leading to a groan inducing amount of using the weapons that are effective. The graphics I’m mixed about, because the textures are a bit bland, but when you’re cruising around in a helicopter at maximum altitude the area looks fantastic. The frame rate also rarely drops and there are no loading screens during travel.

All in all, I had a great time playing Just Cause 2. I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed it until I opened the menu and noticed my Play Time was exceeding 40 hours. In other words, this was when I started get bored, and that’s kind of saying a lot. So grab your dual pistols and a machine gun, pack your ‘chute, cock the grappling gun, and swing through Panay’s window guns blazing. Or sneak in through the roof; because when you’re Rico Rodriguez, you can either fight for a just cause, or just ‘cause.


Graphics: As said, the textures up close are bland, but the water effect is fantastic and when Rico gets in the water his clothes look soaked almost as realistically as Uncharted 2’s graphics. There are some sharp edges but overall, and counting sheer size, they are pretty darn good.

Controls: They take some time to get used to (probably 2 ½ hours for me) and it’s really frustrating, but have some patience and it’ll pay off big.

Story: Bland and generic; but it’s really not the focus here.

Multiple Play: Like GTA but no penalty for getting killed and you’re mission is to kill police, and I have spent more time playing GTA like that then adhering to the story line.


Graphics: 21/25
Controls: 22/25
Story: 9/25
Multiple Play: 19/25

Total: 71/100, C